Research design and methods The present study is a 10 year, nested prospective cohort, population-based survey of the metabolic syndrome risk factors including type 2 diabetes mellitus. The original cross-sectional survey was conducted in two small Circassian villages in north Israel with 4000 inhabitants. The baseline evaluation was performed between 1996 and - 1997. Among the 739 randomly selected men (n=289) and women (n=450 of the 4000 individuals who were aged 35 years or older. Mean age of men was 53.2±11.8 years and of women was 52± years. Mean BMI for men and women was 27.5± and 29.4± Kg/m2, respectively. Plasma glucose level for men and women was mg/dL(22).